Chronicles II

aterial from 1988's Ra and 1992's Destination II make up Chronicles II, a compilation of Eloy's lyrical work, but still jam-packed with astounding keyboard playing via Michael Gerlach. Superb sound is prevalent on this album, as well as on Chronicles I, and while the music isn't as quick or as soaring as Eloy's early material, their vast creativity is evident in the subtle melodies and the light instrumental work. Frank Bornemann's vocals aren't horrid, but they do take away from the engulfing music that is being created behind his voice. As a progressive band, the instrumentation is the delicacy, so any singing that is involved blankets the purity of the music even slightly, especially in German prog where vocals are usually absent. An early Pink Floyd sound can easily be picked out of some of the slower tracks, like "All Life Is One." The last four tracks of the album represent Eloy as a duo, with only Bornemann and Gerlach at the helm, and it's definitely noticed. Without Hannes Folberth on accompanying synthesizer and Hannes Arkona on guitar, the band suffers from a lack of power and thickness. Chronicles II is an interesting journey into the latter part of this exciting prog rock group, but the true beauty of their sonic performances lies in their early work. ~ Mike DeGagne|